Forever Mine, Forever Yours
by movieholic
Summary: She placed a hand on her heart, as if she could quell the rapid pounding, before she replied, "You scared me."
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: First Iron Man fic. Movieverse.**

* * *

Late one evening, as the residents of the Stark Mansion found themselves still up, an inventive Tony Stark stopped his assistant from going back upstairs with a new idea.

"Hey Potts, I was thinking about starting my own line of cologne like all the other celebrities do," he called out as he reclined in his seat, threading his fingers through his dark hair as they supported his head.

Pepper managed to suppress a smile as Tony continued.

"I'm thinking about calling it," Tony paused with a smirk and raised his right hand, emphasizing each word by stretching his fingers, "_Stark Naked_...because that's how every woman will be after catching a whiff of this stuff."

"And what will this cologne smell like, Mr. Stark?" Pepper questioned, unable to stop her thin lips from twitching up into a amused smile any longer.

"Tony," he corrected before shrugging nonchalantly. He had already resumed his preoccupied task of dismantling an Iron Man gauntlet as he retorted with a dismissive wave of his hand, "I don't know, the guys in the lab will come up with something good."

Pepper nodded and bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing. She looked down at her clipboard and suddenly recalled that she had some more news to give him. She cleared her throat as she prepared to relay the information she had learned this morning, "Oh, and Tony?"

"Mmhmm?" he hummed without tearing his eyes off his intricate piece of work.

"Your jet is currently undergoing some emergency mechanical repairs, so we'll be flying to your meeting on a _public_ airline."

Tony paused from his work and glanced up to meet Pepper's worried eyes. He sighed and slumped back into his chair. "What's wrong with the 737?"

Pepper hesitated, unsure what he was referring to before it hit her. "Oh, the 737? There were some difficulties during a routine test flight and, well, being who you are they didn't want you to have an unsafe flight."

Tony nodded as she spoke although his dark eyes continuously strayed over to his disassembled arm, lying forlornly on his table, his mind going over upgrades and gadgets that he could use to better his suit. Pepper followed his gaze and resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she continued, "I'll be down within the hour in order to brief you on the scheduled flight to London, tomorrow."

Tony's eyes jumped away from his work table as they focused on his PA. He furrowed his eyebrows and asked, "Uh, what meeting in London?"

Pepper sighed. "The one I told you about this morning?"

Tony gave her a blank stare.

"London requested a face-to-face meeting after your 'I am Iron Man' admission on the news last week," Pepper's tone went neutral, but her eyes seemed to flare up in annoyance when she mentioned his stunt.

"What's London have to do wi-" Tony started, still unclear before Pepper interrupted calmly.

"London, among many foreign cities, also has a part within Stark Industries. So of course they are concerned about the stock market and various other issues when the CEO decides to announce he's a superhero."

Tony, a little taken aback at her clipped tone and interruption, didn't bother to smile in victory that she admitted he was a superhero. Instead he nodded quietly and proceeded to grab a grease stained rag in order to pointlessly wipe his equally dirty hands on. He threw the rag over his shoulder and tilted his head to the side.

"Is that all, Ms. Potts?"

"For now, Mr. Stark, yes." She turned to leave as she called over her shoulder, "I'll be down in an hour, unless you need me otherwise."

Tony nodded mutely, no longer interested on working on his suit. He sighed and titled his head back to speak to Jarvis.

"Hey, Jarvis, do ya think Pep's mad about my whole public admission thing?" Tony asked, exhaustion laced in his tone.

"Sir, if I'm not mistaken, she's very mad about your 'whole public admission thing,'" the AI responded smoothly, his pleasant English accent making him sound less robotic and more human.

"Hmm," Tony surmised, running a dirty hand through his dark hair. He reclined back into his chair once more, stretching his arms as far as they could go to relieve some aches within the stiff joints. He rubbed his knotted neck and rolled his head around, attempting to loosen the tension built up.

"Sir?"

"Yeah, Jarvis?"

"Might I suggest you shower and rest? I assume Ms. Potts will be inclined to tell you the same when she comes back down within the hour."

Tony smiled and nodded. "Sounds good, thanks."

"You're welcome, sir."

* * *

An hour later, precisely, Pepper Potts made her way down the stairs and into Tony's workshop carefully. As always, she wore extremely high heels that required her to tackle stairs with a pronounced skill in order to prevent a broken ankle or worse yet...a broken heel.

"Mr. Stark?" she called out, her seemingly tinny voice echoing in the vast and unusually dark room. Pepper took a hesitant step forward, pressing the clipboard to her chest tightly as she called his name out once more.

"Potts."

Pepper stifled a scream as she jumped and turned to find her boss sitting on the couch's armrest, an amused expression on his handsome face and his arms crossed. She placed a hand on her heart, as if she could quell the rapid pounding before she replied, "You scared me."

Tony nearly chuckled as he nodded. "Yeah, I can see that." There was pregnant pause before he looked away unsure of himself. He rapped his knuckles on his arc reactor, the soft blue light the only source of illumination in the room, as he quietly murmured, "I didn't think I'd ever be able scare anyone in the dark with this thing always," his brow furrowed in a visible quest for the right word before he settled, "On."

It was quiet once more before Jarvis piped up, "Shall I turn on the lights, sir?"

A smile came and went on Tony's face before he answered in the affirmative. The lights flickered briefly before the basement was washed in a nearly blinding white light.

Fully recovered, Pepper pushed a tendril of strawberry-blond hair behind her ear. She picked up a sealed envelope that rested on her clipboard and waved it in the air. "Enclosed are the tickets for your business trip to London. Our seats are in first class, of course," she cast him a quick smile before plowing on, "Also enclosed is a list that I was able to formulate with the help of Jarvis on the finest restaurants, all located within a relatively close distance of the hotel we will be staying at."

Tony nodded and yawned, scratching his head as he did so with an outstretched arm. He shook his head roughly and blinked hard a few times before he waved his hand.

"Okay, sounds like it's all fine and dandy..."

"Yes, if I may say so myself," she responded with a proud grin.

Tony clapped his hands together. "Okay then, let's hit the sack Ms. Potts?" and to her slightly unsure expression he sighed and added, "And I don't mean together. Although..." He cast her a hopeful expression that she quickly shut down with a pronounced eye-roll. "Come on, I'm beat." He scratched his chest as he yawned once more.

"Very well, Mr. Stark. Goodnight. See you bright and early tomorrow morning."

"Tony," he corrected before returning in kind, "G'night, Potts."

They exchanged brief smiles once more before Tony was left with the sound of Pepper's heels clicking up the stairs.

* * *

**TBC...**

**Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

Early the next morning Tony, Pepper and Happy Hogan settled on a partially crowded plane ready for take off. Tony stared out the window with a half-full glass of scotch clutched in his right hand while his left hand rested a little too close to Pepper's elbow.

Pepper sighed as she once again wondered how she allowed Tony to get her to sit directly next to him when she, Tony and Happy were the only ones in first class. She shook her head slowly for the umpteenth time, unaware that Tony was watching her from behind his purple tinted sunglasses with an amused expression on his handsome face.

He leaned forward, dangerously close, looking extremely smug. "Uncomfortable, Ms. Potts?"

Pepper nearly jumped out of her skin when the velvety smooth voice spoke near her ear, the full pink lips expelling warm air against it. The tiniest of peach fuzz hair on her now extremely pink ears tingled at the sensation.

Schooling herself quickly, she half-turned to face her employer with a smile and claimed, "Not at all, Mr. Stark."

Tony arched an eyebrow and puckered his lips, completely amused still. Instead of replying, like Pepper expected him too, he shrugged and resumed staring out the oval window. Pepper sat back and pondered over what just happened as the captain came over the PA system.

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking-"

"No shit," Tony murmured to himself, causing Pepper's lips to quirk up once again.

"And," the captain cleared his throat, a disgusting sound that grated on Pepper's nerves, "Barring any unforeseen issues, we should have a relatively safe and enjoyable flight."

Happy grunted from where he sat alone, the far right side of the plane, his nose buried in a magazine. Pepper noticed that he too had sunglasses on. Suddenly her head snapped up as the captain's words finally dawned on her. She choked on a mixture of laughter and a scoff as she spluttered, "'Barring any unforeseen issues, we _should_ have a good flight?'"

Without turning to face her, Tony chuckled softly in agreement. It was quiet once more, save for the clashing of ice against glass every few minutes.

Pepper cast Tony an odd look. He was acting slightly lethargic, and wasn't making jokes and commenting on nearly everything like he would have before. Pepper inhaled sharply, glad that neither Tony or Happy heard it. Afghanistan. Gradually Pepper began recalling all the minor changes, or major depending on how you looked at Tony Stark's life.

The women? Null and void, the pompous Christine Everhart the last to "grace" Tony's satin-sheet covered mattress.

The gambling? No longer existent since the only thing on Tony Stark's mind was his new devotion...the Iron Man suit. However, Pepper wasn't so sure she was entirely too happy that Tony was completely immersed in something so dangerous...but then again, that was how Tony was.

The alcohol...Pepper listened to the glass-against-ice sound that Tony controlled. Well, the alcohol was much less often downed in the past few month, but it was still there.

Tony himself? Well he was the same handsome, intelligent, driven man as before...with a new purpose in life that Pepper also continuously questioned. She couldn't help but be proud for Tony, it was hard _not_ to be. But she also couldn't help the brain-fogging, jaw-clenching, stomach-dropping fear that overwhelmed her every time he took off in his suit on a new mission.

Pepper's felt her face warm up with embarrassment when she felt Tony's eyes on her, she turned to see him watching her curiously. He took off his sunglasses and hooked them on the neck of his shirt before turning to face her once more. "What are you thinking?"

The red-headed woman turned her precious Blackberry in her hands repeatedly, unwilling to tell her boss that she was thinking about him. Tony's head dipped forward, as if he was urging her on. He bit his bottom lip and cocked an eyebrow, "Is it _that_ bad?"

Pepper shook her head. "No, it's just," she grinned, "None of your business." She could get away with saying things like that every once in a while with Tony Stark.

Tony nodded appreciatively. "Touché, Ms. Potts."

"Thank you, Mr. Stark."

Tony opened his mouth to chastised her for not calling her Tony, although he had called her Ms. Potts first. Before he, or anyone else in close proximity could utter a word, the plane shook violently.

A loud curse cut through the air as the lights overhead blinked then blacked out, and Tony could faintly hear protests and whimpers of fear from the other parts of the plane. He reached to unbuckle his seat belt, but a milky-white hand stopped him. He looked up to meet Pepper's eyes, and could barely see her shaking her head.

"I want to know what's going on," he stated, although he made no move.

"I'll go, sir," Happy offered, making a move to unbuckle his own seatbelt in the dark.

Tony shook his head vehemently."Nah, Happy, I'm going." He turned to face Pepper and added, "I wanted to stretch my legs anyway."

Happy sighed heavily and settled back into his chair.

Tony's hazel eyes didn't leave Pepper's icy blue ones. Pepper finally relented when she saw that he had already unbuckled his belt and perched on the edge of the seat. She too sighed and waved at the captain's door. "If you must."

He grinned down at her and winked. "I'll be back."

Tony adjusted his tie as he made his way up to the cockpit. He paused before rapping on the door in three, quick successions. He waited a minute before repeating. There was another sudden lurch of the plane, causing Tony to stumble and hit the opposite wall. He grunted in pain, causing Pepper to call out worriedly and pull against her seatbelt, "Tony?"

Tony cursed under his breath before calling back, "I'm fine, I'm fine...but that damn pilot won't be when I'm through."

"Alright, sir?" Happy asked.

"Yuh huh," Tony responded before he felt his stomach drop and his heart leap into his throat. He knew that feeling...the plane was slowly, but surely, going down all too soon.

Pepper and Happy could feel it as well, and from the worried and frightened sounds from the back, so could the others. Tony began banging on the cabin door. "Hey! What the _hell_ is going on!?"

The door was suddenly thrown open by a panic-stricken co-pilot. He was young, tall, and lanky...and scared shitless. He clamped Tony's shoulders tightly as he exclaimed, "It's all going wrong, someone help! The cap...the ca-captain is dead...he had a heart attack, I couldn't save him!" The younger man sobbed against a very shocked Stark before continuing, "I can't do this! I can't fly this plane! I didn't want to be a pilot, I can'-" he fell down in a faint.

It was quiet for a beat before Tony's wide eyes flew to an open-mouthed Happy and a terrified Pepper. "We're going to crash!?"

Screams could be heard from the few other people on the plane before Tony shook his head, "I'll...I can...I'll try..."

He couldn't speak, so instead he opted for running into the cabin and grabbing the wheel. Happy had, by now, joined him breathlessly. "Do you know how to fly?"

Tony glanced up, fear in his dark eyes as he rhetorically asked, "Do you?"

Happy shook his head slowly, "Shit!"

The plane continued its descend towards the ocean, land at least an hour behind them. Tony looked around frantically at the beeping buttons and glaring lights, "Fuck, Happy!"

Tony grabbed Happy by the larger man's tie and pulled him roughly towards the door. "To the back! Now, now! Back of the plane!"

Happy obliged, confused, as Tony leaped over a few seats and ran to Pepper. He frantically began fumbling with her seatbelt. "Back of the plane, Pep, now!"

Freed, Pepper stood up and shouted over the roaring of sirens from the plane, "Why?"

"Now!" he roared, pushing her from behind as gently as he could in their frantic hurry. Pepper screamed and ran as fast as she possibly could.

Tony remembered the young man and with a loud curse he turned back, and nearly flew through the air as the plane's nose began dipping. He grabbed the kid's hand and dragged him as best he could, grabbing onto the back of the chairs to pull himself along.

"Tony!"

Pepper's scream could be heard from the back of the plane.

"Pepper!" he shouted back, before the plane made contact.

There was a split deafening silence until the world around Tony collapsed in a sound of ripping, screeching, twisting metal as water immediately began filling up the plane as he continued to delve deeper into the ocean.

Tony was thrown backwards before his head made contact with the plane's console with a sickening thud, quickly muffled by the rapidly rising water. And darkness enveloped him.

* * *

**TBC...**

**PLEASE REVIEW.**


	3. Chapter 3

Pepper, with the help of a gravely wounded Happy, managed to claw open the plane door and swim out as far as they could from the sinking craft. Wincing in pain, Pepper watched as the plane continued sinking, the sound forever ingrained in her mind. She struggled to stay afloat, trying to keep an eye on Happy as well.

"Happy, _please_ keep your eyes open," she spluttered as water found itself into her mouth. The larger man was barely moving beside her, and she realized with another horrific start that not only was Happy sinking himself, but motionless bodies began floating up from the dark water surrounding her. She tried to paddle away from the battered figures, their faces pale and contorted into what must have been bloodcurdling screams.

"Happy!" Pepper exclaimed as he closed his eyes once more, and didn't open them again. She managed to swim over to him, having found herself further away in her attempt to flee the bodies of the other passengers. She gently shook the heavy man, but to no avail.

Pepper sobbed, effectively choking on more water, as she began pounding on Happy's chest. "Harry! Wake up! Harry!"

Finally no longer able to scream or sob anymore, Pepper found herself completely alone in the middle of floating bodies, luggage, and scraps of metal that managed to come through the open plane door or any windows. She shivered violently, thankful that the water wasn't freezing as she paddled further away from where the plane had now vanished. Pepper sought out something she could float on, grabbing a seat cushion that was wrenched from it's hinges.

She grabbed onto it feverishly, heaving the top half of her body out of the water and onto the soaked cushion in a half-successful manner. She pressed her face into the wet fuzz, and couldn't tell if tears running down her cheeks or water.

"Oh God," she moaned, before pulling herself together quickly so that she could check the other passengers. Perhaps another had survived and was knocked unconscious? She checked each body carefully, including Happy's once more, with trembling hands.

There were five total. Two women and three men...all dressed smartly, all with what was once impeccable hair, and all bruised and broken in one place or another. That was when Pepper noted the thrumming ache throughout her entire being. She reached up with shaking fingers and brushed her forehead, wincing in pain and shock when she saw her blood on her fingertips before they were washed away by gentle rolling waves of the ocean.

Then it hit her...where was Tony? Or the bodies of the pilot and co-pilot?

Pepper bit her bottom lip, a painful sob caught in her throat. She squeezed her eyes shut and found she was completely and utterly all alone.

* * *

**TBC...**

**Please Review!**


	4. Chapter 4

The first thing Tony noticed when he came to quickly was that he couldn't breathe, he could barely see, and most importantly, he _couldn't_ breathe. He panicked, his mind bombarded with flashing images of Pepper screaming his name, a terrified young man, a shocked Happy...rising water, metal ripping like paper and scrunching up around him...flying through the air and his head hitting the console in the cockpit.

Tony kicked his legs out and flailed his arms wildly. Offensive bubbles that somehow escaped from his tightly pressed lips, rose and invaded his nose in an pervasive manner. He squeezed his eyes shut, the blurry outlines of floating objects surrounding him beginning to make him feel dizzy. He continued kicking, panic overtaking him as he puffed his cheeks out in hopes he could last a few more seconds before he needed to _really_ breathe.

In consequence, his leg connected with the already broken windshield, causing him a flair of great hope and pain as glass shards cut deep into his calves and thighs. He knew the kid and pilot were done for, and he could only hope that any God, Allah or even friggin' Buddha that Pepper and Happy managed to escape the sinking plane.

Tony grunted, ignoring the rapidly growing billow of blood as he escaped through the windshield and swam in what he assumed was up. Feeling disoriented, he found himself flipping and rolling, the current of the plane dragging him in different directions before air became necessary and he took a chance in one direction.

Not long after, he broke the surface with a loud gasp, gulping as much air as he could as well as water. He coughed and spluttered, choking, but thankful he made it to the top. He looked around frantically and felt sick to his stomach.

Bodies floated towards him, all motionless in the large array of useless articles from the aircraft. He batted his arms frantically in an attempt to not only keep himself afloat, but away from the eerily still corpses. Tony's breath caught in his throat when he recognized the body of his long-time bodyguard and chauffeur, Happy. Tony grabbed the thick arm of the other man, and shook it roughly as he coughed, "Harry! Open your eyes damn it!"

Tony deemed it useless when his friend didn't respond after several attempts to rouse him. Tony pushed the body away from him with a resigned sigh, closing his eyes and sending a prayer up to the Heavens for Happy and another in hopes to find Pepper.

_Pepper._

"Pe-" he swallowed a mouthful of water and turned around in place, swimming in circles strenuously. "Pepper!" he cried out hoarsely, his throat raw and sore as he continued. "Virginia!"

There was a faint response, causing Tony to slap the water in excitement, ignoring the shooting pain and sudden dizziness. He quelled the urge to vomit and pass out as he continued calling out both her real name and nickname, following the sound of his own name being called out faintly.

Finally, around a large piece of what Tony assumed was a literal part of the craft, he saw the battered face of one beautiful Virginia "Pepper" Potts. Tony cried out, trying to make his way over to where he could see she was floating on a seat cushion. He half-swam, half-floated as she paddled over to where he was. As soon as she was close, he threw an arm over her slender shoulders and pressed his head into her soaked air with a sigh of relief. He squeezed tightly and muttered, "Thank God you're okay, Pepper."

Taken-aback, and sore as hell, Pepper pulled away and smiled faintly. She moved as far as she could to one side of the cushion and patted the gray material, "Care to join me, Tony?" she asked, her humor light and solemn.

Tony gave her an exhausted, yet timid, smile and nodded slowly. "Sounds great." When he was hanging onto one side and Pepper was on the other, Tony's dark, red-rimmed eyes met Pepper's equally red eyes with a renowned sadness.

"Hogan didn't make it," he whispered. Pepper reached over, wincing in pain, and took hold of a now black-and-blue hand carefully and nodded.

"I know...he saved me," she whispered back, her voice cracking as she looked away. She looked up met his eyes once more, "So did you."

Tony looked away this time, too tired and dizzy to cry or feel anything else other than pulsing pain. He took his hand back from Pepper slowly, in hopes that she wouldn't take offense, in order to touch the back of his head. He did so, gingerly, and flinched so hard that he rocked their little so-called floating device. Pepper's eyes went wide in fear, the flinch sudden and abrupt.

"Are you hurt, other than your obvious head and hand wound?" she questioned, ignoring the blank look Tony gave her. A look that seemed to say, 'even if I was, what can you do about it?'

She shrugged and sighed, "Are you?"

Tony bit his bottom lip and concentrated on the slow, rhythmic rocking from the seat cushion on the ocean surface, noting all of his wounds. He felt a stabbing pain in his legs, his left hand felt numb, his entire body ached, and the pain in his head was indescribable.

"Yeah," Tony sighed, laying his head on the cushion, effectively laying it on both of their hands due to lack of room. Pepper inhaled sharply, she could see the shiny red blood oozing from a nasty gash in his dark-haired head when he placed his head down. Tony looked up sluggishly, his neck stiff and hard to move as he asked, "Are you okay Pepper? Are you hurt?"

She opened her mouth to answer but snapped it shut when she found her boss struggling to keep his eyes open. Blood seeped from his ears, and his breathing became rapid and low. Pepper reached out and touched his shoulder lightly, "Tony?"

Tony moved slightly, but other than that, nothing else changed. Pepper shook him firmly, eyebrows furrowed in concentration. She was more worried for her boss at this moment...her wounds weren't grave, just scrapes and bruises and nothing could be done as of this moment in the sea.

"Tony? Talk to me...tell me something...tell me abo- tell me why you moved us to the back of the plane?" she drew an annoyed breath, what kind of question was that?  
Tony's pale lips, surrounded by the neatly trimmed goatee, quirked up slightly in amusement. He shifted a little, once more, before mumbling, "I read somewhere...better survival...rate...back of the...plane."

Pepper nodded, rubbing his shoulder in a circular pattern. The rocking motion, and overwhelming exhaustion caused her eyelids to droop slightly. She shook her head and plowed on, "Tell me something else, Tony...I know so much about you, and then I don't."

Tony muttered to himself, "I'm a man with everything, but nothing."

"What wa...s'that?" she questioned, although he may not have understood because she allowed herself a big yawn in the middle of it.

Tony groaned, "Pep...I feel sick."

Pepper sighed, if he threw up it would just float right beside him, and she didn't like the thought of that at all. She patted his arm reassuringly, "We're going to be okay, Tony, we'll just start paddling and maybe we will hit land..."

"Or a shark eats us...or we drown...or we starve..._Pepper_, I feel sick..." his voice seemed to get lower, and it seemed like an extreme struggle for him to even mumble anymore.

"I can't do anything about it, Tony," she sighed before moving her hand from his shoulder to his eyebrow. She began caressing his right one, slowly and steadily. From the inside near his nose, to the tip she continued stroking it. It always used to soothe her when she was younger.

"Don't fall asleep on me, Stark," she demanded before adding quietly, "I can't bear to lose you too."

Tony allowed himself a smirk, "Ditto, Potts..." he reached out blindly before grasping her hand in his larger one. "Five...something or other, right?"

Pepper laughed, she needed it. "Close enough."

* * *

**TBC...**

**Please Review.**


	5. Chapter 5

After an undetermined amount of time had passed, Pepper forced herself to check on Tony once more. She nearly sighed loudly with relief when she saw his brown eyes open, the green flecks reflecting in the continuously rising sun.

"Tony...stupid question, I know, but...how are you feeling?" she questioned, mentally congratulating herself for keeping her voice steady.

Tony made a grumbling sound before muttering, "You're not capable of asking stupid questions, Ms. Potts...but stupid answers you are capable of receiving."

Pepper allowed herself a quick, exhausted smile before pointing out, "You sound better, somewhat. Are you breathing easier?"

"Yah-huh..." he trailed off.

"...And your head? How is it now?"

She was nagging. She knew it; he knew it. She was also insanely worried which they both knew, though whether he knew how _much,_ was yet to be determined.

Tony lifted his head slowly, and made a point to stare at her, a smirk visible on his face. "Are you _worried_, Ms. Potts?"

Pepper bit her bottom lip and exhaled sharply from her nose, visibly steadying herself. "_Mr_. Stark, if you haven't noticed by now, we are in the ocean. We're floating on a seat cushion...we're both wounded, people were killed...and we have no way of knowing if anyone is looking for us. _Yes_. I'm worried."

Tony frowned, and if two plus two equaled four, then that sure as hell was a pout gracing his handsome face. Pepper was glad that Tony missed her gawking. The grown man had literally pouted like a chastised child.

"Tony."

Tony didn't answer at first, feeling slightly put-out, before he finally caved with an audible sigh. "Yes?"

"How is your head?" Pepper demanded, surprising herself, if even a little.

"It hurts," he snapped.

It was suddenly quiet, save for the continuous lapping of waves against the cushion, before Tony called out, "Pepper?"

"Yes, Tony?"

"You _are_ capable of asking stupid questions... once in a while. Please don't let it happen again."

Pepper would have been offended at one time but under these less than normal circumstances, and the small smile tugging at the corner of Tony's lips, she just laughed softly and nodded. "Yes, Tony."

"Good," he yawned and closed his eyes. "Good."

Once again it was quiet.

"Tony?"

Tony's eyes flew open. Before he schooled his face, she saw the clearly annoyed expression that appeared there. Without waiting for his response, she plowed on. "How long do you think we can survive?"

Tony closed his eyes before heaving a sigh and re-opening them. He pulled his slouched body put of the water as much as he could, and rested on the seat once more. He waved a hand in the air, "We aren't far from land...we were only in the air for an hour, at least."

"So what are our chances? We have no food, no medical kits..." Pepper trailed off, she was beginning to feel the full effects of the entire morning all over again.

Tony grinned in spite of himself. "You're looking at it bass-ackwards, Potts. Look at the bright side."

"The 'bright side?' The _bright_ side? What could be the _bright_ side of _this_?" She waved her arm wildly, sinking into the water as she did so.

Tony's smile faltered, something she rarely saw, before he sheepishly said, "Well, we've got plenty of water."

Pepper narrowed her eyes and inhaled audibly. Clenching her jaw, she growled, "If and when we reach land, Mr. Stark, be sure to expect my full resignation letter."

Instead of gaping, and showing how hurt he was, he snapped, "Back to Mr. Stark, huh?"

"Yes," she fired back, "As it always should have been. Tony is far too personal."

"And once again, things get too hard and too real, and you run away?"

Pepper glanced away quickly, but it was enough for Tony. "Are you afraid of personal? Are you afraid of reality?"

Pepper huffed before grounding out, "You sound much better."

Although he neither felt nor looked better, he nodded a little too brusquely for his taste before responding, "Much. Sure I could go for a hard drink and a massage, but I never felt better."

"I'm sure," Pepper muttered sarcastically. She couldn't stop herself. She felt completely out of character, completely unlike herself. However, she just couldn't stop herself from snapping back at Tony's childish antic. Perhaps the stress from being his PA for so many years, and the recent events of his "I am Iron Man" admission and the crash had just caused her to snap.

"You know what, _Ms_. Potts?" he stressed the Ms.. "You need a good lay."

It was completely silent for a second. Not even the sound of lapping water registered in her ears. Then she found herself pushing the cushion roughly away from her body, sending him underneath the floating object, and her body projected in the opposite direction. She could hear him come up, spluttering and cursing, mixed in with the pain clearly laced in his tone.

"Potts!" he called out, his voice hoarse.

She ignored him, swimming in the direction she hoped land was.

"Potts!" he tried again, grasping the soggy material underneath his trembling fingertips. "Pepper! I'm sorry!"

Still she swam, albeit with some difficulty due to the pain in her entire being, but she pushed through. The weight of her professional clothing slowed her down more, causing her to think briefly if she was doing the right thing. Of course she wasn't, but rationale obviously had lost out.

"I'm sorry! Stop! God damn it, Virginia! _Stop_!" his voice ripped through the air, raw and angry. She paused, and turned to face him. She was surprised to see some distance between them, chalking it up to the helpful, curling water she was surrounded by.

Pepper floated in place, watching in quarter amusement, quarter anger/annoyance, and half concern as Tony struggled to paddle over with their flotation device. When he finally caught up, he less than gently forced the cushion into her arms and muttered, "You might need that."

She nodded quietly, removed a soaked strand of hair from her lips, and found herself in the same place they were in not long ago. "I'm still quitting, sir."

Tony shook his head in aggravation. "No. You're not. I'm all you have, you admitted that," he pointed out, before adding, "And I need you too."

"Tony-" she was cut off. Had he not raised a hand in order to do so, she would have been less peeved, however that annoyed her more. "Excuse me, Tony-"

"Pepper," he interrupted once again. "I don't want to hear anymore or anything. I feel God awful, and my head is killing me. It doesn't take a genius like me to know that I'm going to pass out any second, so here is what you're gonna do."

Pepper's eyes went wide as she tried to speak once more. Pointing in the direction she had begun swimming in, he claimed, "That way...is land. The waves have been taking us that way...so swim...paddle...I don't care what...just go in that direction." He blinked hard, rapidly, struggling to keep his eyes open. His finger, still in the air after pointing out where he thought land was, began drooping like it was a being weighed down.

"Listen, Potts," he flashed her a forced, quick smile. "Gimme back in one piece will ya? And...if you can't...don't worry...I wouldn't be in one piece if you weren't...okay...so...in short...save yourself."

And before Pepper could utter a sound or move a muscle, Tony's body sagged and his head dropped heavily. The unmoving weight of his body began dragging the cushion, Tony, and herself down into the water.

"Oh God...Tony!" she cried out, clawing his shirt in an attempt to drag his body out of the water and close to her side.

* * *

**TBC...**

**Please review. **


	6. Chapter 6

After a brief but very tiresome battle with Tony's unconscious body, Pepper finally managed to balance his dead weight and her own on the floating cushion. She breathed a deep sigh of relief, and wished she could just crawl in bed and sleep for weeks.

Pepper wish she knew how much time had pass; plus she was starving, wounded and had to pee like nobody would believe. She pondered whether she should relieve herself right then and there, but felt that was completely disgusting, especially with her unconscious boss floating right across from her in the vast ocean.

Pepper sighed and tilted her head to the side. Which direction should she be floating in again? Panicked Pepper looked around, seeing nothing but ocean, ocean, ocean, and birds.

Birds?

Pepper nearly yelped with glee. Birds meant land was near. Follow the birds, follow the birds...

That became her mantra as she struggled to paddle and keep Tony afloat all at once. After an indeterminable amount passed, a groan caused Pepper to nearly slip underneath the soggy floating device from fear.

After treading water for a few moments, she sputtered and glanced over at Tony. "Mr. Stark? Mr. Star-Tony? Tony are you alright?"

Tony waved his hand in the air slowly, as if to say "Not now," before he allowed it to plop heavily on the cushion. Pepper wanted to laugh with delight, but decided that she should save that for later. Instead, she gently jiggled his shoulder and told him, "Tony, we're getting closer to land."

Without moving, Tony asked, "Are we there yet, Potts?"

Pepper furrowed her eyebrows. "I said we're getting closer, not that we're there."

"Then do me a favor, and be quiet," he quipped groggily. Pepper smirked, it was as if he had a hangover all over again.

"Okay, Tony," she responded with a small smile.

It was silent once more before a sound in the distance made Pepper squeak. She maneuvered her head in circles, desperately searching the skies and water for the source. She secretly hoped that it was a boat, for planes were not something she wanted to be around at this very moment.

"Tony! Tony! Wake up! I think there's a rescue boat coming towards us!" she cried.

Tony groaned, but lifted his head wearily anyway. A bad attempt at the Stark grin came and went on his face before he watched the boat come towards them with a bedraggled expression.

"'Bout time," he muttered hoarsely.

Pepper ignored him as she flailed her arms in the air. "Over here! Help! Over here!"

The boat coasted to their side, skillfully driven. A man, clad in a uniform which Pepper decided she would admire later, threw a life saver over the railing and called out, "Hang on tight!"

Pepper nodded as she grasped it with one hand, and tightly held on to the neck of Tony's shirt with the other. "Hang on, Tony."

"To what?" he muttered under his breath, trying to expel water that was rushing into his open mouth. He felt useless. Iron Man was...Iron Man. This shouldn't happen to him, to a hero. "Potts?"

"Yes?"

"Please hurry up."

Stifling a scoff or a smile, unsure herself as to what her body was trying to express, she simply said, "Already on it, Tony."

Tony smiled sleepily, eyes partially open. "Good...Thanks, Pep."

* * *

**TBC...**

**Please Review!**


	7. Chapter 7

Peering over her glasses, Pepper mused that this would be the only time she and her boss would be caught wearing matching garb…unless he acquired a taste for heels and skirts. Smiling to herself, Pepper shook her head and glanced back down to the new palm pilot she held. Looking back up when a nurse waddled in, Pepper offered her a tentative smile.

"How are you?" the nurse asked, adjusting the IV in Pepper's arm.

Sighing, Pepper took off her glasses and shrugged. "As well as can be expected, I suppose," motioning towards the gauze on her forehead. "But the painkillers are a blessing; I hardly feel anything at all right now." She looked over to where Tony was still out, the soft blue light from his arc reactor swimming in and out of view as he breathed. "How about him? Will he be all right?"

Looking over at the sleeping man, the nurse nodded. "He suffered a severe concussion, and several deep lacerations…but as long as he's under our care, he should be perfectly fine in no time." Smiling reassuringly, the young woman patted Pepper's arm. "He'll be fine."

Chewing on her bottom lip, Pepper closed her eyes and nodded slowly. Unable to keep her eyes closed for long, due to the images of floating bodies and metal collapsing inward, she opened her mouth and asked, "Have you been able to contact Lt. Colonel Rhodes?"

"Ah, yes. He should be here shortly," the nurse claimed. Her examination of Pepper's head wound finished, she made her way to Tony's bedside. Beginning his routine examination, the nurse clucked and tsked at various moments, much to Pepper's amusement and displeasure.

Sitting back, Pepper yawned and ran a hand through her thick hair. Afraid to fall asleep, Pepper settled for toying mindlessly with her palm pilot. A doctor, who was a big fan of "Iron Man," did not hesitate to run out and spend his money on the object for Pepper. He handed it to her with bated breath, listening keenly for a response that went along the lines of, "He'll give you an autograph when he awakes."

After finishing with Tony, the nurse bid them goodnight and left. A few minutes later, a soft knock resounded in the nearly silent room. "Come in," Pepper called out wearily.

"Hey," Rhodey peeked around the slightly opened door, "Can I come in?"

"Rhodey," Pepper sighed happily, "Yes, yes. Come in."

Stepping in cautiously, Rhodey made his way to her beside and produced a wild array of flowers from behind his back. Kissing her cheek in a brotherly manner, he pulled up a chair and sat down promptly. "How are you feeling?"

"Like everyone would stop asking me that." She smiled wryly. "I'm fine. A couple bruises and a scratch on my head otherwise I'm perfectly all right."

Rhodey smirked and took her hand within his own. "I'm glad you're okay. How about him?" he jerked his head over at Tony, his expression softening.

"Concussion…lacerations…he'll be okay, they said." Her exhaustion was becoming evident in her tone. Rhodey nodded sympathetically, jostling their clasped hands.

"I heard about, about Hogan." He looked away sadly, and whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Me too," she replied, avoiding his brown eyed gaze. "I'm tired…"

He leapt up to his feet quickly and turned off the light above her bed, cloaking them in semi-darkness. Glancing over at Tony's reactor, he murmured jokingly, "Hope you don't mind a night light."

"I'm used to it," she managed to say around a yawn, barely managing to stifle it with a hand. "You can stay if you want…keep me company?" Her voice was tapering off as she started to fall asleep. Rhodey nodded and swept a strand of strawberry blonde hair away from her wound.

"Of course I'll stay," he answered, although she had already fallen asleep. Standing up slowly, he made his way over to Tony, where the man slept deeply. Grimacing at the dark bruising around his heavily gauzed head wound, Rhodey swept his eyes over the rest of Tony's blanket clad body. Unable to look at the rest of his wounds, Rhodey shook his head and muttered something about incompetent pilots. He nearly lost all of his closest friends, and although he was glad the two were all right, he was deeply saddened at the loss of Happy Hogan and countless other innocents.

"Rho-dey…Rhooo-deey…Rhodey!" Rhodey jerked awake with a muffled shout, before his tired gaze landed on a smirking Tony Stark. "Morning sunshine; how was your nap?"

"What time is it?" he yawned rhetorically, stretching the kinks out of his back.

"Oh, it was a good nap? Me? Oh I feel fine, thank you for asking."

He sent a dark look at Tony, who held up his hands with a grimace. "I don't know, ask the nurse."

"I will," he stated, before placing a hand on Tony's bed and asking, "How are you feeling? Any pain?"

"Only in my ass, but when you leave, it should be fine."

"Tony," Rhodey growled, although he was secretly glad Tony was still his old self.

With a half smile, Tony lazily blinked his eyes and responded, "I'm kidding…anyway with all these drugs inside me I feel peachy." Looking over towards the restless Pepper, he told the curious Rhodey, "She's having nightmares."

"Oh," he said sadly, rubbing a knot in his neck. They both watched as Pepper trembled and moaned, her eyes squeezed shut in anguish. "Shouldn't we wake her?" He moved forward in order to do so, but Tony's bandaged hand on his arm stopped him.

"Not yet. Maybe it'll blow over," he shrugged, "If not, wake her." Rhodey nodded and sat down in the chair he had pulled over earlier that night. "Did you hear?"

Meeting Tony's saddened expression, he sighed and nodded. "I'm sorry-"

"Why?" Tony's voice was curious. "You couldn't have done anything, you have nothing to be sorry for. Don't beat yourself up, Rhodey… just because you're in the military doesn't mean you can save every life." Surprised by Tony's words, Rhodey stared dumbly at him. Shrugging, Tony closed his eyes and settled further into his pillow. "Get a nurse in here, I'm ready to leave."

"What?" Rhodey exclaimed sharply, but realized that his friend had promptly fallen back asleep. "I'll get right on it, Tony."

The mild thrashing over in Pepper's bed had subsided, and Rhodey was relieved that he didn't have to wake her up. However, his joy was momentarily lived when Tony began mumbling about there being "too much water," and "get to the back of the plane." Rhodey watched on tiredly, unsure as to what he needed to do. He knew Tony had sporadic nightmares since his time overseas, but these were different. They were new.

"What am I going to do with you two?" he asked aloud, running a hand over his buzzed haircut. "I'm too old for this shit," he mumbled, leaning back in his chair.

* * *

**TBC...**

**Please Review. **

**So sorry for the long wait, my laptop crashed and I lost everything.  
**


	8. Chapter 8

A chorus of raised voices slowly roused Pepper from her deep sleep. Blinking her eyes open, she sat up and looked across the room, where Rhodey and several medical personnel where arguing.

"I don't understand," Rhodey scoffed. "How can you lose a grown man who has been _under watch_ all night?" he stressed the words 'under watch,' punctuating his annoyance by placing his hands on his hips.

"He must've slipped out during a shift change," one of the doctors was saying, pointing exasperated towards the exit. "We're not superhuman, you know."

Pepper stifled a laugh at the irony, however, Rhodey did not find the remark funny. Drawing a deep breath, he pulled himself up to his full height and looked angrily down at the doctor.

"I suggest you find Mr. Stark," he narrowed his dark eyes, "Now."

The group quickly scurried out, calling out "Mr. Stark?" as they split up in the hall. Rhodey turned and sighed, glancing over at the grinning Pepper.

"What are you smiling about? This isn't funny, Pep." Despite his stern tone, a small smile began perking his lips up. Shaking his head, he shuffled to her bedside and offered an amused laugh. "Ah, that man will be the d-" he cut himself short and gave an apologetic look to the redhead. "Sorry. If I've learned one thing from Tony, it's how to put my foot in it."

Pepper patted his arm. "Don't worry."

Nodding, he pulled a chair over and nearly threw himself in it. He rubbed his eyes tiredly, and offered a weak smile. "How ya feeling? Any better?"

"Much," she replied. "I might need to have the staff supply me with a lifelong supply of this pain medication they're giving me," she joked, pulling at the IV line in her arm.

"Yeah, that stuff is pretty good." Rhodey rolled his eyes, and leaned back further in his seat.

Allowing him the moment to relax, she suddenly thought to ask, "What was that about?" To his raised eyebrow, she continued with, "Just now. I take it Tony has decided to roam off?"

"With a skull fracture, no less. For a genius, Tony is pretty dumb." They shared a soft laugh over their mutual friend, before Rhodey turned somber. "I really do wish he'd just be a good patient and follow the rules though. He gives me such a headache, I'm seriously considering checking myself in here too."

"My ears are burning," a voice called out, before Tony appeared in the doorway. He was pale, and swaying slightly, but his trademark smirk was firmly in place. "You two talking about me again?"

Before either could respond, an out of breath orderly barged in and placed his hands on his knees. "Mr. Stark! There you are!"

Tony looked around, before glancing back. "Uh, yeah. Here I am." He studied the panting man with an amused expression. "Don't tell me you're all out of breath for me!"

Glaring, the orderly grabbed the older man's elbow and led him to his bed. "No more running off, Mr. Stark."

Perplexed, Tony looked over at the half-amused, half-annoyed couple on the other side of the room before back at the other man. Squinting as he looked at the name tag, Tony replied, "Tim, is it? Well Timmy, I'll have you know that I did not 'run off.' I walked at a leisurely pace."

Pepper groaned, and covered her face with her hands. She still couldn't help a smile.

Rhodey stood up and shook his head. "Tony, Tony, enough. Thanks, Tim." He waited till the younger man nodded reluctantly, and left. As soon as Tim was out of sight, he whirled around and growled, "What were you _thinking_?"

"That I could use some fresh air, and a good stretch of my legs. Why? Were you worried or something?" Tony glanced over at Pepper as his friend began a tirade of what he should and shouldn't being doing in a hospital. With a small wave and a mouthed, "Hi," he proceeded to struggle with a serious face as he nodded at everything Rhodey said.

Pepper's smile widened as she watched Tony pretend to be serious, his brown eyes twinkling in the fluorescent lights. When Rhodey demanded, "Do you understand?" Tony gave a firm nod, and mock salute, which made her giggle behind her hand. Rhodey glared at her, before turning back to his smirking friend. Throwing his hands up in the air, he shook his head and muttered something about needing a drink.

"Grab me one too, will ya?" Tony called out at his friend's retreating back. When Rhodey left, he turned to face his red-headed assistant. "Pepper," he drawled.

"Mr. Stark," she quipped, placing her hands in her lap primly.

"Tony," he corrected. Quirking a brow, he added, "I thought we went over that?"

"We did, I just prefer to remain professional." It was a lie, for years it had been, but she couldn't help herself. It was easy, this flirtatious bantering back and forth. Until he screwed it up.

"I'm glad you're okay," he claimed. It was odd, coming from his lips, while his eyes became hooded and dark. But he said it so quietly, so quickly, that Pepper wasn't sure she heard it. But she did, and that was another thing she couldn't do. Couldn't deny that Tony cared for her somewhat.

Braving herself, in case she had misheard him, she responded, "I'm glad you're okay too...Tony."

She really wished he would say something, anything. Instead he sat, rubbing his temple with a curious expression on his face. Feeling uncomfortable, and with nothing to occupy her attention, she sat motionless and waited.

"Well, Pep," he faltered uncharacteristically. Rubbing the back of his bandaged head, he grimaced.

"Wow," she decided to try for levity, "Tony Stark at a loss for words? That's a first."

He laughed. "Don't get used to it."

"Why not? You don't think I can render you speechless ever again?" she meant it as a joke, but his eyes twinkled with mischief. Thinking of several things, many illegal in several countries, no doubt.

A doctor chose that moment to enter and check up on Tony. Feeling his forehead, he frowned and decided to take a temperature. Tony and Pepper never broke their steady gaze.

"Mr. Stark, how are you feeling?" the doctor asked, concerned.

"Peachy, Doc. Why?" as he spoke, Tony didn't look away.

"You're running a pretty high fever, which could mean an infection. And if we don't lower the temperature, you could begin convulsing."

"Is he alright?" Pepper asked, worry in her voice.

"He will be if I can get his temperature, and find the source of the infec-aha!" he pulled the blankets down further and tenderly touched each of Tony's legs. "These lacerations on your legs are red and puffy. We can take care of these easy," he sighed with relief. "Some antibiotics, and you should be fine." He absently patted his legs, wincing when Tony flinched. "Sorry."

"Yahuh," Tony remarked offhandedly. Closing his eyes, and effectively ending his gazing session with Pepper, he placed his head back onto the pillow and yawned. "I'm wiped, Doc. Care to give us some privacy?"

"No problem, Mr. Stark. Those antibiotics should kick right in."

Pepper sighed too, with relief. That man could make her feel so many emotions.

"Worried, Pepper?" he called out tiredly.

"For Iron Man? Always," she joked.

There was a long pause before he asked, "How about Tony?"

She stumbled over several different words that didn't get past her mouth, before nodding. "Forever."

* * *

**The End.**


End file.
